Mia’s $100 Project

One choice. One hundred dollars. A future waiting to be built.Twelve-year-old Mia Miller is tired of being the "Velcro Girl." Her left sneaker is held together by a peeling gray duct tape that snaps with every step, a constant reminder of everything her family can't afford.Winning the $100 science fair prize is her ticket out. She can finally buy the Sky-High sneakers everyone else is wearing and put an end to the whispers forever.But $100 comes with a choice that feels impossible. She could choose to fit in temporarily, or she could follow her grandfather's mysterious advice: Do not eat the harvest. Plant it like seed corn.Choosing grit over trends, Mia starts a venture of her own from her kitchen table. But as a wealthy rival threatens her business and the pressure to balance school and friendship grows, Mia must navigate a difficult path. Can she turn her hundred-dollar seed into a lasting future, or will the distraction of the chase cost her the very things that matter most?Mia's $100 Project is an inspiring middle-grade novel and a tool for teachers and parents. It weaves a realistic story of grit, friendship, and entrepreneurship with essential STEM-based financial literacy.Perfect for fans of The Lemonade War and Frindle, this book teaches kids the power of:Needs vs. Wants: The difference between what we need to function and what we want just to look cool.Opportunity Cost: Why every dollar spent today is a choice not to grow for tomorrow.Reinvestment: How small profits can grow into massive opportunities through smart, consistent choices.Financial Independence: Building the confidence and skills to create your own security.Join Mia on a journey where the stakes are high, the math is real, and one hundred dollars might just change everything.